SAM Thompson has admitted he felt a moment of “panic” ahead of what could have been an uncomfortable run-in with Louis Tomlinson at Soccer Aid.
The reality star, 32, opened up about the behind-the-scenes tension, revealing he was asked about it months before the charity match.
Sam Thompson opened up about Louis Tomlinson once more.
So far, Louis hasn’t made any public statements about it.
Sam and Louis shared a dinner during a Soccer Aid team bonding event to help smooth over any tension between them.
Sam Thompson recalled being caught off guard when he was asked about playing alongside Louis Tomlinson and feeling unsure how to respond.
On his Staying Relevant podcast, he said, “In my head, I panicked and thought, ‘I don’t have this.’
“So I told the journalist, ‘Look, it’s not about me and Louis. It’s not about who’s dating who — it’s about UNICEF and charity.
“Everyone is there for the same reason: to raise money.’”
Sam added, “And if Louis has any sense, which I’ve heard he does, he’ll say the same thing.”
Zara McDermott, who became famous on Love Island, dated Sam Thompson starting in 2019. They broke up briefly but got back together before finally ending things for good in January.
Earlier this year, Zara started a relationship with Louis Tomlinson, the One Direction singer.
Louis and Zara haven’t spoken publicly about the situation yet, but Sam has talked about it several times.
In May, Sam said, “I’ve never met Louis.”
Sam said that when he finally meets Louis, he’ll probably say something like, “Mate, isn’t this amazing what we’re doing? Hopefully, we can raise as much money as possible.” He added that, based on what he’s heard, Louis seems like a really nice guy and would likely say the same.
Sam also took a subtle jab at Zara and Louis’s relationship, calling it more of a “hook-up” than anything serious.
He told The Mirror, “It’s a charity football game and everyone will be smiling. This is about a cause much bigger than relationships or who’s hooking up with whom. Football brings people together.”
Meanwhile, The Sun revealed that Louis and Sam had a private dinner with their England teammates before the match. The dinner happened at the Champneys spa in Tring, Hertfordshire, where the team was training ahead of the game at Old Trafford.
A source shared, “There’s no tension between them, and both are determined not to let their personal lives interfere with such a big charity event. They know people are watching, and since they’ve broken bread with their teammates, everything should go smoothly on match day.”
Unfortunately, Sam had to pull out of the game on the day because of an injury from a recent marathon challenge.
A source said, “Sam’s really disappointed he can’t play, but the match came too soon after his marathon. He’ll still be involved and play a big role in the event’s coverage, but he won’t be on the pitch.”